Rising Star: Georgetown Sophomore Otto Porter Jr.

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The Georgetown Hoyas have been the class of the Big East in the last season before the conference fully implodes and they are led by one of the best NBA prospects in the college game. Otto Porter Jr. is a smooth small forward with terrific size at 6-feet 8 inches and his potential is off the charts.

When he takes over a game for Georgetown, there are few players that can stop him. He plays within himself, rather than trying to take games over with his volume of shots. Instead, Porter has become an efficient scorer, shooting near 50 percent from the field this season.

He’s Georgetown’s leading scorer, averaging 16.4 points per game. What’s even more impressive about Porter is the way he leads his team to victory. Against No. 8 Syracuse on Feb.23, Porter scored more than half his team’s points, putting up 33 in the 57-46 win over the Cuse. He hit a season-high five three-pointers in the first tilt with Syracuse. In the rematch on March 9, Porter didn’t force his offensive game and instead led Georgetown to a win with a more well-rounded attack, as he put up only 10 points but also had a season-high tying seven assists and eight rebounds in the blowout victory.

He was not a much-heralded recruit coming in but his potential is what really has scouts at the next level salivating. His improvement in just the two seasons he’s been at Georgetown should also impress general managers, as his work ethic has been commendable.

His three-point shooting is what’s made the biggest jump between his freshman and sophomore campaigns. His long-distance shooting was forgettable, as he hit at a paltry 22 percent. He’s made a dramatic jump this season, making 3s at a 44 percent clip.

What decision-makers at the next level also have to love about Porter is his attitude. He’s a selfless player and is very humble, despite being named the Big East Player of the Year. He’s a hustle-guy, going hard to the glass and always willing to make an extra pass or dive for a loose ball.

He’s projected to be a top-5 pick in the NBA Draft, should he decide to forgo his final two years at Georgetown. He’s got a great frame (he’s young, so he can still add some muscle) to play small forward in the NBA and his length makes him a good defender. True, he still has room to improve, especially since he’ll be going against much stronger players at his position in the NBA. But, most importantly, Porter is still fairly young. He can be a little too unselfish at times but that won’t be as big of a problem when he’s not the main option for an occasionally-anemic offense.

NBA Draft Net compares him to Tayshaun Prince and before he takes his game to the next level, college basketball fans should get to enjoy him leading the Hoyas deep into the tournament over the next few weeks.

Porter scores 28 in a win over Rutgers on March 2nd

Mark Chalifoux is a college basketball contributor for CBS Local Digital Media and can be reached at mark.chalifoux@gmail.com and @markchalifoux on Twitter.